Violence in eastern DRC kills 30 civilians, hampers Ebola fight
Armed violence in North Kivu burned homes and destroyed a health center, and contacts of Ebola patients have fled an observation site.
Violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo reportedly killed at least 30 civilians overnight and is hindering efforts to fight an Ebola outbreak, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Friday.
The attacks hit the Cantine-Aloya locality in Beni Territory, North Kivu, where homes were set on fire and a health center was destroyed, the office said, citing local sources.
Several patients are reportedly among the dead, the office added.
People who had been in contact with Ebola patients left an observation center, and response teams were forced to halt work in the area, the office said in a daily news update.
The office warned that the disruption makes it harder to trace possible infections and control the outbreak.
Authorities have reported more than 10,700 confirmed Ebola cases and over 5,200 deaths, mainly in eastern DRC, the office said.
The office called on all parties in the country to protect civilians, abide by international humanitarian law and guarantee safe, unhindered access for aid and health workers.
Ebola is a severe viral disease spread through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, and controlling it depends heavily on tracing and isolating those who may have been exposed.
Eastern DRC, particularly North Kivu, has experienced armed conflict for many years, which has repeatedly complicated humanitarian and public health work in the region.
